California Briefing / SAN FRANCISCO

NRA sues to overturn gun law

The National Rifle Assn. sued the San Francisco Housing Authority on Friday to overturn a ban on guns in city-administered public housing -- one day after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that people have a right to have handguns in their homes.

The lawsuit filed in federal court here said the city's ban on guns violates residents' 2nd Amendment right to keep a handgun at home for self-protection. An NRA lawyer said the group hopes the suit will lead to a ruling that clarifies whether cities and states can be sued under the 2nd Amendment.

The Supreme Court overturned a Washington, D.C., law that banned handguns in the district, which is under federal jurisdiction.

One anonymous plaintiff in Friday's lawsuit was identified as a gay man who lives in a Housing Authority project and keeps a gun for protection from hate crimes. The suit said identifying the man could subject him to eviction or retaliation by the city.

San Francisco City Atty. Dennis Herrera said he was confident that the ban was legal and would be upheld.